I am also guilty of using studs on my felts, better to cut a few lines than end up to my neck in the river.

The UV Knot Sense method works great. However, you didn't say what size line you were trying to repair. For trout, no problem using the UV.

If you are going after really BIG fish, I would cut it off and either use the heat gun method or tie on a short heavy piece of mono. That is what I do.

I have noticed that the factory loop starts to look sort of cut up from use, with all those leaders going on it and pulling. That is when I cut it off and use a nail knot to attach the mono. The UV Knot Sense works really great there too, it coats the nail knot making it smooth, just in case it goes into the first guide of the rod.

Larry ---sagefisher---